Diarmuid O'Murchu's lecture series in Australia cancelled because of Vatican investigation into his writing

Dear all,

I have just received a letter with the not surprising news that the Vatican is investigating the writings of Diarmuid O'Murchu and, in the light of this, Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne has withdrawn his permission for Fr O'Murchu to present a series of workshops in Melbourne next January.

The information I have comes in the text of a letter from the Director of the Edmund Rice Centre, Amberley, who were sponsoring the workshops — one of which was directed to a general audience and the second to professed religious.

The full text of the letter can be found in the pdf file at: http://www.catholica.com.au/breakingnews/
KuppeLtrReOMurchu230606.pdf.

Self-evidently this is not the time for over-reaction as the matter is under private negotiation between Diarmuid and his Superior General and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

At the same time, I would suggest this is a litmus test for the Vatican. Are they going to go out and support a man who is diligently seeking to understand the meaning of our faith, and the ultimate truths that are locked in the custody of Almighty God alone, or are they going to create another Teilhard de Chardin embarrasment and fiasco by again coming out with nonsense that demonstrates the Church is only interested in speaking to people with the comprehension levels of kindergarten children?

If the Vatican wants to drive a good proportion of the dwindling number of Catholics in the Western world who are still practising out of the Church, being heavy-handed with Diarmuid O'Murchu would be an excellent place to start.

On the other hand, if they are seriously interested in re-evangelising the Western world an equally good place to start would be in giving encouragement to the likes of Diarmuid O'Murchu to continue his radical investigations into the language in which we need to be talking about what Jesus Christ really does mean in the lives of an educated, reflective society in the 21st Century.

Brian Coyne

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